NGC 578

NGC 578
NGC 578 by Kitt Peak National Observatory[1]
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Cetus
Right ascension	01^h 30^m 28.5^s[2]
Declination	−22° 40′ 02″[2]
Redshift	0.005434 ± 0.000005 [2]
Heliocentric radial velocity	1,629 ± 1 km/s[2]
Distance	59.3 ± 15.7 Mly (18.2 ± 4.8 Mpc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)	10.8[3]
Characteristics
Type	SAB(rs)c [2]
Apparent size (V)	4.9′ × 3.1′[2]
Other designations
UGCA 18, ESO 476- G 015, AM 0128-225, MCG -04-04-020, IRAS 01280-2255, PGC 5619

NGC 578 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus. The galaxy lies about 60 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 578 is approximately 110,000 light years across.[2] It was discovered by John Herschel on November 11, 1835.[4]

NGC 578 is a spiral galaxy with three arms. The bulge is small and slightly elliptical and has a prominent bar running at an east–west axis. From each end of the bar emerges a spiral arm with a very steep angle. After half a revolution the southeastern arm bifurcates while the northwest becomes diffuse.[5] The third arm features more HII regions than the other arms and is more prominent at its outer portion.[6] An unusual aspect of the galaxy is that the spiral arms appear to end at the corotation circle.[7] A bright galaxy is visible superimposed to the east of the galaxy.[5]

NGC 578 is the foremost galaxy in the NGC 578 group, which also includes galaxies 2MASX J01301192-2245448 and MBG 01272-2057.[8]

References

1. "NGC 578". www.noirlab.edu. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
2. "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 578. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
3. "Revised NGC Data for NGC 578". spider.seds.org. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
4. Seligman, Courtney. "NGC 578 (= PGC 5619)". Celestial Atlas. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
5. Eskridge, Paul B.; Frogel, Jay A.; Pogge, Richard W.; Quillen, Alice C.; Berlind, Andreas A.; Davies, Roger L.; DePoy, D. L.; Gilbert, Karoline M.; Houdashelt, Mark L.; Kuchinski, Leslie E.; Ramirez, Solange V.; Sellgren, K.; Stutz, Amelia; Terndrup, Donald M.; Tiede, Glenn P. (November 2002). "Near-Infrared and Optical Morphology of Spiral Galaxies". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 143 (1): 73–111. arXiv:astro-ph/0206320. doi:10.1086/342340.
6. Sandage, A., Bedke, J. (1994), The Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies. Volume I, Carnegie Institution of Washington
7. Martínez-García, Eric E.; González-Lópezlira, Rosa A.; Bruzual-A, Gustavo (20 March 2009). "SPIRAL DENSITY WAVE TRIGGERING OF STAR FORMATION IN SA AND SAB GALAXIES". The Astrophysical Journal. 694 (1): 512–545. arXiv:0812.3647. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/694/1/512.
8. Makarov, Dmitry; Karachentsev, Igor (21 April 2011). "Galaxy groups and clouds in the local (z~ 0.01) Universe". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 412 (4): 2498–2520. arXiv:1011.6277. Bibcode:2011MNRAS.412.2498M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.18071.x. S2CID 119194025. Retrieved 1 February 2025.

External links

• NGC 578 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images